TradePortal Names Lages & Associates Public Relations Partner to Promote Direct Access Trading Software

IRVINE, Calif., May 04, 2005 – Lages & Associates (L&A), a leader in strategic high-technology public relations and corporate communications, today announced that they will partner with TradePortal, a software developer for the financial services industry, to promote their enterprise suite of financial products to the institutional and retail sectors.

Based in Irvine, Calif., TradePortal engineers and develops software used to perform direct market access trade execution. The MatriXsuite provides buy-side and sell-side traders with a fully integrated trading application that also includes robust compliance and real-time back office administrative tools for firm management. Founded in 1998, TradePortal is distinguished by being a full service direct access technology company that offers software, customized solutions and well-rounded service and support. TradePortal is the only company that offers an entire solution suite that services two industry sectors (retail and institutional) and 10 industry segments from a single base of well-crafted code. TradePortal is positioned as a key technology partner for those who are seeking to benefit from today’s move toward electronic trading and execution.

TradePortal’s direct market access trading technology is the result of working closely with key developers at Thomson Financial and Microsoft to build software from the ground up that addresses the demanding requirements of traders for both speed and control. The software development team benefited from the lessons of the pioneers whose first generation products were limited in scope and scalability. The combination of seasoned professional traders and highly expert software engineers sets TradePortal apart.

While the company’s offerings have been embraced first by the retail investor, the advantages of direct access are now being sought by institutions. As such, the company is in an ideal position to benefit from institutional adoption that can fuel wide deployment of TradePortal solutions. Aiming to become the pre-eminent innovator and solution provider of direct access trading will require a focused and proactive public relations initiative that harnesses the unique value for TradePortal and maps this value to its target markets.

"We have been internally focused on expanding and developing our software and now we are ready to take our message to the financial services market,” said David Smithey, chairman and CEO of TradePortal. “We are making a firm commitment to building awareness for our direct access trading solution and have enlisted L&A to establish and foster key relationships with industry influencers, media and analysts to accomplish this goal.”

TradePortal conducted a rigorous review process and selected L&A as their PR partner due to its successful history of over 17 years in shepherding technology innovators into positions of market leadership. L&A will launch a comprehensive PR program for TradePortal that includes a targeted issues campaign encompassing top-tier financial services and business media, industry analyst relations and speaking engagements. L&A will leverage TradePortal’s strategic partnerships with established Market Makers to communicate product benefits that address industry trends and future plans that guide the company’s software developments.

About TradePortal

Since 1998, TradePortal has been providing Direct Market Access (DMA) software to the financial services industry. MatriXsuite, its flagship offering, provides traders on both the buy-side and sell-side with fully integrated trading applications, real-time compliance and back office administrative tools for easy management.

TradePortal’s enterprise applications suite is distinguished by its single code based architecture. This unique approach enables the MatriXsuite to service multiple markets, including hedge funds, market makers, and active traders. TradePortal is the only company that offers an entire solution suite across two industry sectors (retail and institutional) and ten industry segments.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, TradePortal is an equity partner of Thomson Financial, an operating unit of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC, TSX: TOC) and licenses its software to leading financial institutions including Merrill Lynch, National Financial/Fidelity, Computer Clearing Services, Pacific Growth Equities, and the Takada Trading Group, Inc.

For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.tradeportal.com.

About Lages & Associates

Founded in 1988, Lages & Associates Inc. is a full service communications agency specializing in high technology including networking and wireless communications, e-business, semiconductors, Internet, information technology, consumer electronics and technology-related education and professional services. Based in Irvine, Calif., the company’s services include complete communications programs, product launches and public relations tailored to suit the needs of each individual client. Clients include AeA, Applied Voice and Speech Technologies, Digital Map Products, Jazz Semiconductor, New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, TransDimension, Zetera and ZyXEL. For more information on Lages & Associates, visit the company’s website at http://www.lages.com.